away with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered here by some accident; wherein none can be so determinate, as the removing of Cassio.

Rod. How do you mean-removing of him?Iago. Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place; knocking out his brains.

Rod. And that you would have me do?

1

Iago. Ay; if you dare do yourself a profit, and a right. He sups to-night with a harlot, and thither will I go to him;-he knows not yet of his honorable fortune. If you will watch his going thence, (which I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one,) you may take him at your pleasure; I will be near to second your attempt, and he shall fall between us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with me; I will show you such a necessity in his death, that you shall think yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high supper-time, and the night grows to waste:2 about it.

Rod. I will hear further reason for this.
Iago. And you shall be satisfied.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Another Room in the Castle.

Enter OTHELLO, LODOVICO, DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and Attendants.

Lod. I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.

Oth. O, pardon me; 'twill do me good to walk. Lod. Madam, good night; I humbly thank your

ladyship.

1 The folio reads "a harlotry." Shakspeare has the expression, "a peevish, self-willed harlotry," in two other plays.

2 i. e. the night is wasting apace.

Oth. Get you to bed on the instant, I will be returned forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there; look, it be done.

Des. I will, my lord.

[Exeunt OTH., LOD., and Attendants.

Emil. How goes it now? he looks gentler than he did.

Des. He says he will return incontinent.

He hath commanded me to go to bed,

And bade me to dismiss you.

Emil.

Dismiss me!

Des. It was his bidding; therefore, good Emilia, Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu.

We must not now displease him.

Emil. I would you had never seen him!

Des. So would not I; my love doth so approve him, That even his stubbornness, his checks, and frowns,Pr'ythee, unpin me,-have grace and favor in them. Emil. I have laid those sheets you bade me on the

bed.

1

Des. All's one.-Good father! how foolish are our minds !

If I do die before thee, 'pr'ythee, shroud me
In one of those same sheets.

Emil.

2

Come, come, you talk. Des. My mother had a maid called—Barbara ; She was in love; and he she loved, proved mad,2 And did forsake her. She had a song of-willow; An old thing 'twas, but it expressed her fortune, And she died singing it. That song, to-night, Will not go from my mind; I have much to do, But to go hang my head all at one side,

And sing it like poor Barbara. 'Pr'ythee, despatch.

1 The quarto of 1622 reads "good faith.”

2 Mad must here be accepted as meaning wild, unruly, fickle.

3 From I have much to do, to Nay, that's not next, was inserted after the first edition in quarto, 1622, as was, likewise, the remaining part of the song. Desdemona means to say-I have much ado to do any thing but hang my head, &c. The ballad, in two parts, printed from the original, in black letter, in the Pepys collection, is to be found in Dr. Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, vol. i. p. 192.

Emil. Shall I go fetch your night-gown?

Des.

No; unpin me here.

And he speaks well

Emil. I know a lady in Venice, who would have walked barefoot to Palestine, for a touch of his nether lip.

I.

Des. The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree, Sing all a green willow;

[Singing.

Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,

Sing willow, willow, willow:

The fresh streams ran by her, and murmured her

moans;

Sing willow, &c.

Her salt tears fell from her, and softened the stones;

Lay by these:

Sing willow, willow, willow;

Pr'ythee, hie thee; he'll come anon.

Sing all a green willow must be my garland.

II.

Let nobody blame him; his scorn I approve,

Nay, that's not next-hark! who is it that knocks? Emil. It is the wind.

Des. I called my love, false love; but what said he then?

Sing willow, &c.

If I court mo women, you'll couch with mo men.1

1

So, get thee gone: good night. Mine eyes do itch; Doth that bode weeping?

Emil.

"Tis neither here nor there.

1 This couplet is not in the original ballad.

Des. I have heard it said so.'-O, these men, these

men!

Dost thou in conscience think,-tell me, Emilia,-
That there be women do abuse their husbands

In such gross kind?

Emil.

There be some such, no question. Des. Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

Emil. Why, would not you?

Des.

No, by this heavenly light! Emil. Nor I neither by this heavenly light;

I might do't as well i' the dark.

Des. Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world? Emil. The world is a huge thing. 'Tis a great price For a small vice.

Des. Good troth, I think thou wouldst not.

2

Emil. By my troth, I think I should; and undo't, when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring; nor for measures of lawn; nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition : but, for the whole world,-why, who would not make her husband a cuckold, to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for't.

Des. Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong for the whole world.

Emil. Why, the wrong is but a wrong i' the world; and, having the world for your labor, 'tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right. Des. I do not think there is any such woman.

Emil. Yes, a dozen; and as many

3

To the vantage, as would store the world they played

for.

But I do think, it is their husbands' faults

If wives do fall. Say, that they slack their duties,
And pour our treasures into foreign laps;

Or else break out in peevish jealousies,

Throwing restraint upon us; or, say they strike us,

1 This, as well as the following speech, is omitted in the first quarto. 2 A joint-ring was anciently a common token among lovers.

3 i. e. to boot, over and above. The remaining part of this speech is omitted in the first quarto.

Or scant our former having1 in despite :

Why, we have galls; and, though we have some grace,
Yet we have some revenge. Let husbands know
Their wives have sense 2 like them: they see, and smell,
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have. What is it that they do,
When they change us for others? Is it sport?
I think it is; and doth affection breed it?
I think it doth; is't frailty, that thus errs?

It is so too; and have not we affections?
Desires for sport? and frailty, as men have?
Then let them use us well; else, let them know,
The ills we do, their ills instruct us to.3

Des. Good night, good night; Heaven me such
4
usage send,

Not to pick bad from bad; but, by bad, mend!

ACT V.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. A Street.

Enter IAGO and RODERIGO.

Iago. Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he

come;

Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home.

Quick, quick; fear nothing; I'll be at thy elbow.
It makes us, or it mars us; think on that,

And fix most firm thy resolution.

Rod. Be near at hand; I may miscarry in't. Iago. Here, at thy hand, be bold, and take thy [Retires to a little distance.

sword.

1 Our former allowance of expense.

2 Sense is here used, as in Hamlet, for sensation, or sensual appetites.

3 The old copy reads, "their ills instruct us so.

4 "Such uses

"such usage."

VOL. VII.

" is the reading of the folio; but the first quarto has

63